Car Insurance in South Carolina

State minimum coverage requirements

Under South Carolina Code Section 38-77-140, all South Carolina drivers must maintain the following minimum coverage:

• $25,000 bodily injury per person
• $50,000 bodily injury per accident
• $25,000 property damage per accident

Driving without insurance in South Carolina results in a fine, license plate suspension, and a reinstatement fee. Uninsured Vehicle Fees are assessed by the state for vehicles found to be operating without coverage. Reinstating your registration requires proof of current insurance and payment of all outstanding fees. SR-22 filing is required after DUI convictions and certain other serious violations.

Is South Carolina a no-fault state?

No. South Carolina is an at-fault state.

South Carolina is an at-fault state that applies a modified comparative fault rule with a 51 percent threshold. If you are found 50 percent or less at fault for an accident, you can recover compensation from the other driver, and that recovery is reduced proportionally by your share of responsibility. If you are 51 percent or more at fault, you cannot recover anything from the other party. To see how this plays out practically: if you are 40 percent at fault for an accident that caused you $50,000 in losses, you recover $30,000 from the other driver, your full damages reduced by 40 percent. If the fault determination comes back at 55 percent against you, your recovery is zero regardless of the other driver's 45 percent contribution to the accident. The 51 percent threshold creates a meaningful dividing line that defense attorneys in South Carolina frequently target. South Carolina's coastal geography creates additional insurance considerations beyond the standard at-fault framework. Drivers in the Myrtle Beach area, Charleston, and the barrier islands face elevated exposure to hurricane-related vehicle damage, flooding, and hail from coastal storms that are not addressed by liability coverage at all. Comprehensive coverage handles weather-related losses that standard liability coverage does not. If your liability limits are insufficient to cover all damages from an accident you caused, you are personally responsible for the balance above those limits, and South Carolina courts can enforce civil judgments against wages and assets.

What the state minimum covers and does not cover

South Carolina's 25/50/25 liability minimum covers only injuries and property damage you cause to other people. It does not cover:

• Damage to your own vehicle from a collision
• Your own medical expenses after an accident
• Losses caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver
• Theft, weather events, or vandalism to your vehicle

Uninsured motorist coverage is mandatory

South Carolina requires all auto insurance policies to include uninsured motorist coverage at limits matching the policyholder's liability coverage. This mandatory inclusion means that if you carry 100/300 liability, your policy must also include 100/300 in uninsured motorist coverage by default. UM coverage pays for your medical expenses and vehicle damage when an at-fault uninsured driver causes an accident. Underinsured motorist coverage fills the gap when an at-fault driver's policy is insufficient to cover your actual losses. Because South Carolina's mandatory UM must match your liability limits, increasing your liability automatically improves your UM protection.

How credit affects your rate in South Carolina

South Carolina permits insurers to use a credit-based insurance score as one factor when pricing auto policies. The check is a soft inquiry and does not affect your credit report or credit score. South Carolina law requires insurers to notify you if credit information results in an adverse action on your policy, giving you the opportunity to review your credit report for inaccuracies. If your credit has improved since your last renewal, shopping new quotes across multiple carriers is worthwhile because carriers weight credit differently and improvements in your score can reduce your premium even without any change in your driving record.

Recommended coverage levels

Most advisors recommend carrying at least 100/300/100 liability in South Carolina. Because mandatory UM must match your liability limits, raising your liability to 100/300 automatically brings your UM coverage to the same level, a single coverage decision that improves your protection in both directions. South Carolina's coastal geography creates specific coverage needs beyond the standard liability framework. Drivers in Charleston, Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head, and the barrier islands face elevated exposure to hurricane-force winds, storm surge flooding, and severe hail from tropical weather systems. None of these losses are covered by liability or collision insurance, comprehensive is the specific protection that handles weather-related vehicle damage. Given the regularity of severe coastal storms in South Carolina, comprehensive coverage is especially important for coastal market drivers. If your vehicle is financed or leased, collision and comprehensive are required by your lender. For vehicles you own outright, assess the annual premium against your vehicle's current market value. Medical payments coverage provides first-party medical protection on top of your liability and is worth considering for South Carolina drivers who want additional protection for their own injuries regardless of fault.

How insurers determine your rate in South Carolina

South Carolina insurers use your driving record, zip code, vehicle type, age, annual mileage, and credit-based insurance score to calculate your premium. Charleston, Columbia, and Myrtle Beach produce higher premiums than rural South Carolina due to accident frequency, vehicle theft rates, and the elevated risk of weather-related comprehensive claims along the coast. At-fault accidents and moving violations typically affect your rate for three to five years. Because each insurer weights these factors differently, comparing quotes from multiple carriers at renewal is the most reliable way to find the most competitive rate for your specific profile.

SR-22 requirements in South Carolina

An SR-22 in South Carolina is a certificate filed by your insurer with the Department of Motor Vehicles confirming you carry at least the state minimum liability coverage. You may be required to maintain an SR-22 after a DUI conviction, after driving without insurance, or after certain serious traffic violations. The requirement typically lasts three years from the triggering event, and your license remains suspended until the SR-22 is on file. If your policy lapses during the SR-22 period, your insurer must notify the Department of Motor Vehicles immediately, which reinstates your suspension. Not all insurers handle SR-22 filings, so drivers who need one should specifically look for carriers that serve the non-standard auto insurance market in South Carolina.